U.S. newspapers continuing to die at rate of 2 each week

Just watch Tiktok like everyone else

This isn't news. It is gossip. There's a vast difference.

Local news is critical to a functioning democracy. The press attends boring govt meetings and lets the local community know about proposals. This keeps the "good ole' boy" network down. It also helps to unite a community in ways that people outside cannot understand.

They go to school board meetings, important court cases, and consolidate highway proposals, redevelopment efforts, zoning changes, business sales, and most importantly, restaurant cleanliness inspection reports. Would you rather eat at a place with a 82% score or a 98% score?

The local school planned lunch menus for the week are important to kids.

Local newspapers (and their websites) provide all this for the community.

Elon Musk has the answer Micro-payments. 10 Yen per story, paid via a generic account that I can load up with credit at a time of my choosing.

Subscription/paywall/donation just doesn't work. Why would I pay $40/month to every news outlet I come accross and waste $2,500/month I pay for my work software. I'd sooner be using my software and earn money than consume paid news so I can waste my work software subscription.

Just watch Tiktok like everyone else